Community, Diversity, Sustainability and other Overused Words

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  • Landslide in Japan Produces Viral Video; 20 Residents of Atami Missing

    Samuel Alioto, Observer Staff Writer|Jul 4, 2021

    Viral video of a landslide in Atami, Japan shows the damage inflicted on a picturesque mountainside town, as tons of mud and debris from recent rains crash down a mountain road. The town of 35,000 is built on an extinct volcano's caldera. Rain liquified the soil, causing it to slide downhill. The driver of a van is shown speeding downhill just ahead of the slide, as the roar of the event and the horrified crowd are heard in the background. Atami is a city located in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan....

  • Preschool Begins Enrollment Now Open for 2021-22 SMMUSD Preschool Programs

    Samuel Alioto, Observer Staff Writer|Jun 9, 2021

    Enrollment has started for all 2021-22 preschool programs and Seaside neighborhood options at the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District. The programs include fee-based, half-day and full-day classrooms as well as state-subsidized programs offering free preschool for qualifying families, SMMUSD said in a press release. District and state preschool programs will take place at John Adams, Lincoln Child Development Center, McKinley, Muir, Rogers and Washington West. In addition, as part of its...

  • Interested in Serving on the Santa Monica City Council?

    Samuel Alioto, Observer Staff Writer|Jun 7, 2021

    Are you interested in serving on the Santa Monica City Council without having to hassle with a long and costly campaign? Now is the best time for you. At the June 2 special meeting, the City Council declared Councilmember Kevin McKeown's seat vacant as of June 11 due to his retirement and also decided to appoint someone to his post. The Council members urged all interested residents to complete an online application at smgov.net/councilappoint between June 3 and 22. Applicants must be residents...

  • Palisades Fire is Visible from Santa Monica as it Burns Through Topanga State Park

    Samuel Alioto, Observer Staff Writer|May 17, 2021

    Update 8:15 pm: Palisades brushfire doubled in size to 750 acres. It triggered the evacuation of some Topanga Canyon residents. Those live in east of Topanga Canyon Boulevard between Topanga community Center and Vue Ridge Road as well as those north of Entradero Rd. south of Oakwood Drive and east of Henry rich mountain way. The Palisades Fire is visible from Santa Monica as it burns through the Topanga State Park. Arson is suspected, though authorities have not issued an official cause yet. Win...

  • OIR Group Issues Independent Report on George Floyd Riots of May 31, 2020 and its Effects in Santa Monica

    Samuel Alioto, Observer Staff Writer|May 10, 2021

    The OIR Group of Playa Del Rey issued a 116 page report on the events connected to the civil unrest in Santa Monica, of May 31, 2020. The unrest, which followed the death of George Floyd, saw about 100 businesses looted and destroyed in Santa Monica. The City paid the group to analyze the events, in particular the actions of the Santa Monica Police Department, and issue recommendations. The report does not condemn SMPD, but does contain suggestions for future such events. "As this Report was bei...

  • SMMUSD Preparing to Sell $280 Million in Bonds to Fund Classroom Improvements

    Samuel Alioto, Observer Staff Writer|May 1, 2021

    The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District is preparing to sell $280 million of bonds for both Measure M (for Malibu Schools) and Measure SMS (for Santa Monica Schools) in the coming months, district officials announced this week. Projects to be funded for by these new bonds include multiple improvement projects at Santa Monica elementary and middle schools; Samohi Exploration and Gold Gym program; and the new administration / library / classroom building at Malibu High School, district...

  • SMMUSD Rejects Latest Proposal from Malibu; Separation Hearing Saturday

    Samuel Alioto, Observer Staff Writer|Apr 22, 2021

    The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Board of Education on Friday morning voted 5-2 to reject the latest City of Malibu counter proposal on "unification" or separation. This latest offer would have required SMMUSD to support the Malibu's petition in exchange for the City and District agreeing to be bound by whatever financial recommendation the Los Angeles County Committee on School District Organization (LACOE), its staff and consultants might make at a future date, district...

  • Santa Monica Launches 'Right to Counsel' Program to Help Tenants Facing Evictions

    Samuel Alioto, Observer Staff Writer|Apr 13, 2021

    The City of Santa Monica this week launched its pilot Right to Counsel project, an initiative to provide legal assistance and support for tenants facing eviction amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The program will help address what is expected to be a wave of evictions in the wake of the public health and economic crises created by the COVID-19 emergency, city officials said in a press release. Local and state eviction moratoriums "have delayed and blunted the impact of potential early evictions, but...

  • Santa Monica Backing Spanish Language Translation Plan for City Info and Meetings

    Samuel Alioto, Observer Staff Writer|Apr 8, 2021

    Maintaining that "10% of Santa Monica residents speak Spanish at home," the City Council has backed a motion calling for all city information be disseminated in Spanish as well as English "to ensure that language justice has a prominent place in our efforts." At its last meeting, the Council directed staff to draft an ordinance "creating a biennial language access plan" in accordance with its "recent priorities regarding equity and inclusion." The motion, requested by Mayor Pro Tem McCowan and...

  • Three More Catalytic Converter Thieves Arrested in Santa Monica

    Samuel Alioto, Observer Staff Writer|Apr 3, 2021
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    The Santa Monica Police Department made an arrest of three burglary suspects discovered during a trespassing call on Friday night. On March 26, 2021 at about 11:30 PM the SMPD was dispatched to a trespassing call in the 500 block of Wilshire Blvd. Three suspects spotted investigating officers, chucked the loot and their tools, and tried to run. After a short foot pursuit, officers detained three men, in the 1200 block of 5th Street. The suspects were in possession of various burglary tools. Two...

  • City, Chamber of Commerce Launch Grants Program to Support 1000 Businesses

    Samuel Alioto, Observer Staff Writer|Mar 23, 2021

    The City of Santa Monica has joined forces with the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce to launch a Small Business Recovery Grant Program to help local businesses stay afloat till the end of the pandemic. "Our small local businesses are in crisis. After the challenges of the past twelve months, many are hanging on by a thread," said Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce President/CEO Laurel Rosen. "These businesses are the lifeblood of our community. They are our friends and neighbors, our community...

  • Robbery at Beverly Hills Restaurant Believed to be the latest in a String of Robberies by Three Suspects

    Samuel Alioto, Observer Staff Writer|Mar 10, 2021

    3/4/21: It was the latest in a string of brazen robberies. This one occurred in daylight hours in the heart of Beverly Hills. The crime occurred at Il Pastaio Restaurant on North Canon Drive. Three men approached a couple sitting outdoors and dining, in order to steal a Rolex watch from a man. He fought back, though, trying to grab the gun from the robbers. A no doubt brave, but dangerous move. The gun discharged, and a woman was shot in the leg. She was an uninvolved bystander, but ended the...

  • Arson Suspect Arrested for Setting Fire to Santa Monica Police Car, In Front of Police.

    Samuel Alioto, Observer Staff Writer|Mar 4, 2021

    While the police were investigating a robbery near the Metro Train station, a 32 year old homeless dude jumped on top of a detectives unmarked police vehicle, poured gas on it, and set it on fire. Not the wisest career move, maybe. This happened last Thursday and was not connected to the George Floyd rioting last Summer. The police press release from Lt. Rudy Flores follows. The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office has filed charges on George Joosten, a 32-year-old white male, for light...

  • DUI Suspect Hits Barriers at Urth Cafe on Main Street in Santa Monica Friday Night.

    Samuel Alioto, Observer Staff Writer|Feb 15, 2021

    A suspected drunk driver hit the concrete barriers erected on Main Street outside Urth Cafe, to allow for outdoor dining in the Covid era, Santa Monica police and witnesses said. Police allege Piper Pollard, a 21-year-old Pacific Palisades resident, was going northbound on Main Street when she struck a portion of the concrete barrier. Pollard was booked for felony DUI. The accident which occurred Friday night, Feb. 12, caused several injuries among diners. #SantaMonica #OutdoorDining...

  • Dr. Laura Berman's 16 Year Old Son Dies of Overdose, She Posts on Instagram

    Samuel Alioto, Observer Staff Writer|Feb 11, 2021

    A 16 year old boy died of a drug overdose Sunday afternoon in the 1000 block of Yale Street, reports Lt. Rudy Flores of the Santa Monica Police Department. The boy was Dr. Laura Berman's son, Samuel. Berman is a psychological therapist who has a syndicated national show. She stated in an Instagram post that her son had purchased prescription drugs via Snapchat and overdosed in his bedroom. "My beautiful boy is gone. 16 years old. Sheltering at home. A drug dealer connected with him on Snapchat...

  • Protest Over Russian Arrest of Alexei Navlny Comes to Santa Monica Pier

    Samuel Alioto, Observer Staff Writer|Feb 6, 2021

    On Sunday, a crowd of about 30 demonstrators met at the Santa Monica Pier to protest the arrest of Alexei Navalny. He was sentenced today to two and a half years in Russian prison on a parole violation. Alexei Navalny is a Russian opposition leader, politician, lawyer, and anti-corruption activist. He came to international prominence by organizing demonstrations and running for office to advocate reforms against corruption in Russia, president Vladimir Putin, and Putin's government. Navalny has...

  • California Lifts Statewide Stay at Home Orders Due to Covid-19

    Samuel Alioto, Observer Staff Writer|Jan 27, 2021

    The State of California announced Monday that the Statewide ban on outdoor dining has ended. Each California county may decide whether to allow diners to return to outdoor dining. “Together, we changed our activities knowing our short-term sacrifices would lead to longer-term gains. COVID-19 is still here and still deadly, so our work is not over, but it’s important to recognize our collective actions saved lives and we are turning a critical corner,” Dr. Tomas Aragon, the state’s public...

  • Einstein Bros. Bagels Closes on Pico Blvd in West LA

    Samuel Alioto, Observer Staff Writer|Jan 25, 2021

    Einstein Brothers Bagels on Pico Blvd in West Los Angeles has permanently closed, store employees have confirmed to The Observer. Opened in 2013, the store served bagel sandwiches, knishes, delicatessen meats and schmaltz of all sort to the community. Workmen were seen removing the Einstein signs from the roof of the building on Friday, January 22, 2021. The store was recently said to have "closed for deep cleaning" connected to the worldwide coronavirus pandemic, but will not be reopening....

  • South Los Angeles is experiencing a murder epidemic, as Murder in the First 3 Weeks of 2021 Up 150 percent

    Samuel Alioto, Observer Staff Writer|Jan 22, 2021

    Sunday night, 1/18, the Los Angeles Police Department sent two rather shocking tweets. Victims Shot in South LA are up 742% compared to last year, says the LAPD. And homicides are up 150% in the first two weeks of 2021, over the same period in 2020. "Tonight, we are saddened to share some shocking crime stats," reads the tweet from LAPD HQ. "16 days into 2021, and Homicides in South LA are up 150% compared to last year. " "It's our shared responsibility-law enforcement, community members and...

  • Downtown SM Parking Structure The Site of Another Suicide

    Samuel Alioto, Observer Staff Writer|Jan 13, 2021

    Police officers and firefighters responded to a call on the 1500 block of 4th Street at about 4:30 a.m. on Monday morning for a report of a person on the sidewalk. A man aged about 30 appeared to have fallen from the top of the nearby parking structure. They closed the intersection of 5th Street and Arizona for 3 hours Monday morning as police investigated the incident. Officers found the man in acute distress with obvious injuries. Police attempted to treat him, until paramedics arrived and...

  • Bitcoin Falls Back to $33,000, as Dollar Rises and Temperatures Fall From Last Weeks Capitol Riot

    Samuel Alioto, Observer Staff Writer|Jan 13, 2021

    1/10/21: Bitcoin sank to a low of $32,500 per bitcoin, in a sudden 20% overnight decline. The world's first crypto-currency (symbol BTC), could fall all the way back to 23,000 which is where it started this week's rally. The crypto-currency may have risen as the US seemed in a near insurrection on January 6th. Bloomberg news reports that just 40 billionaire bitcoin holders, own 95% of the crypto-currency bitcoin. This could limit the damage on the downside, and may present a buying opportunity...

  • Local Hospitals At 90% of ICU Capacity Due to Covid-19, Says City of Santa Monica in a Tweet

    Samuel Alioto, Observer Staff Writer|Jan 10, 2021

    Four local hospitals experienced over 90 percent Intensive Care Unit capacity in late December, tweeted the City's official account on Tuesday, Jan. 5th 2021. "Our hospitals continue to be overwhelmed w/few remaining ICU beds. We're saddened by the passing of 12 Santa Monicans last week & extend our thoughts to those families. Please stay home and protect our hospital system," said the tweet. Providence Saint John's Health Center, Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, and Santa Monica - UCLA Medica...

  • Police Arrest Car Thief in Santa Monica Alley, Recover Stolen Vehicle in Ten Minutes

    Samuel Alioto, Observer Staff Writer|Jan 2, 2021

    "Get out of the car and put your hands on your head!" shouted one of six uniformed SMPD officers to a young female driver in a stolen white Prius C. They had been trailing the Prius for ten minutes, a few minutes after an Uber Eats delivery guy reported that someone had driven off with his car. The vehicle, which belongs to the Company, is part of a trend noted recently by the SMPD, said an officer who spoke to us off the record, because he was not authorized to speak to the press. "The...

  • Police Pursuit Ends at Pico and 11th Street; SMPD Searching for 2 Suspects

    Samuel Alioto, Observer Staff Writer|Dec 29, 2020

    A police pursuit ended at 11th Street and Pico Blvd Saturday night 12/26/20, at about 9:30 PM. The Santa Monica Police and Highway Patrol were searching for 2 suspects who fled the cash of their vehicle. An SMPD vehicle was also involved in the crash. Two Santa Monica police officers suffered injuries in the crash. A go fund me page was set up to raise $15,000 for their recovery. A tow truck was seen driving away from the intersection with the damaged police SUV. Local residents said the focus...

  • APT Hack Was "An 11 on a 1-10 Scale, a Nagasaki/Hiroshima Type Event," says Cyber Security Expert

    Samuel Alioto, Observer Staff Writer|Dec 25, 2020

    December's hack of Federal and other government agencies by, was a major event and Americans should be alarmed by its depth and scale. "We're talking about compromises in every major area that one could be alarmed about," said the career cyber security expert, who asked not to be named. "Including nuclear, defense, utilities, financial, etc. Both public and private," he said. "We have never seen something of this scale, sophistication, or outright scariness," he added. He's sure that it's Russia...

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